Kipp Adams

Davin Bellamy (Chamblee, Ga./Chamblee) has always been blessed with athleticism, there is no doubt.

He was good at just about everything he tried, including basketball and football. But when he stopped growing at 6-foot-5, it became a decision to decide where he could be great.

Chamblee assistant coach Rosario Rice, who serves as a recruiting liaison, was among those who advised Bellamy that defensive end in college football could very well be his calling.

Rice has coached other players that have gone on to success at the college level, but Bellamy is set apart from them for a couple of key reasons.

"When those kids left, we knew what position those guys were going to be and had an idea what they were going to do in college," Rice detailed. "Because of their size they couldn't elevate much more than what we got out of them. With him, he can do so much stuff. A kid like that with that athletic ability is rare. You don't find that too often.

"He probably has the most upside of any kid I have ever coached. What distinguishes him and the other ones is his upside because he hasn't been coached at the position. He has basically been out there for four years off of raw talent."

Bellamy really began to take things seriously once he landed his first FBS offer from in-state Georgia Tech. His success was tangible at that point and it drove him forward.

Coaches began to see the same thing his high school mentors saw in him. He was raw, of course -- most defensive linemen are at that level -- but he was also malleable.

"I think he is going to flourish because he hasn't picked up any bad habits in high school," Coach Rice said. "He's just went out there and played with natural instincts and natural ability.

"He has to get better as a defensive end against the run. That is something he has to work on, but I don't think he will have any problems doing it because he hasn't picked up any bad habits. As long as he is in the right system with the right coach, he will be fine."

At the turn of the new year, the Seminoles got involved. Recruiting coordinator Dameyune Craig, who is responsible for Bellamy's region, took a liking to what he saw.

From then on, it was constant contact and establishing a solid foundation that would pay off in the long run.

"I figured he would enjoy Florida State," Rice said of Bellamy's first visit to Tallahassee. "I got on the phone with Coach Craig and we talked for 45 minutes. We watched the film and we loved this kid. After that, we had a bond since back in January. Coach Craig is a guy that I have been constantly talking to for a while now. I will never tell Bellamy where to go, I just told him to give me seven schools and we'll go to them, but we couldn't drive to 33.

"He went to Florida State and enjoyed his visits. I think that is why he is where he is. It is a great atmosphere and they have great tradition. Coach Craig is one of those guys that will be a mentor to him like I am with him here. I think Coach Craig is the same way."

Coach Jimbo Fisher's insistence on recruiting big, physical defensive ends has been well documented during his first three years in the program. Bellamy doesn't fit that description just yet, but he very well could down the road.

Still, there is a very productive role that could be on the horizon for him as he adds size and refines his game.

"They want to use him like Brandon Jenkins," said Rice. "They have some massive guys like Chris Casher and Mario Edwards, so with his body type, they can do two different types of things."